(Reuters) -Boeing received approval from the U.S. aviation regulatory agency last week to begin the third of five major phases of certification flight tests for its 777-9 wide-body jet, the Air Current
reported on Monday, citing sources.
The aviation industry publication added that this would mark the largest single round of evaluations for the long-delayed aircraft program, citing people familiar with its progress.
Reuters could not immediately verify the Air Current report.
Boeing and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration did not immediately respond to Reuters' requests for a comment.
The 777X is critical to Boeing's long-term wide-body strategy, previously dominated by its 747 and 777 jets. However, repeated certification and production delays have postponed deliveries by several years, resulting in more than $15 billion in charges and adding pressure to the company's finances.
The setbacks have created an opportunity for rival Airbus and its competing A350 as international travel rebounds.
In its earning report last month, Boeing said it had pushed the first delivery of its long-delayed 777X jet program to 2027 and took a bigger-than-expected $5 billion charge.
Boeing also updated its assessment of the 777-9 certification timeline, and anticipated the jet's first delivery to be in 2027.
Earlier this month, the company received long-awaited approval from the FAA to boost 737 MAX production to 42 aircraft per month, from the previous cap of 38.
(Reporting by Rishabh Jaiswal in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
